MOU ON KING OYO’S BURIAL SURFACES AMID TOORO SUCCESSION STANDOFF
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) reportedly signed on September 12, 2026, between the Government of Uganda, Queen Mother Best Kemigisa, the Musuuga of Tooro and representatives of the Babiito royal clan has surfaced online, shedding new light on the tense moments surrounding the burial of the late Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.
According to the document, the agreement was intended to ensure that King Oyo received a dignified burial at the Karambi Royal Tombs while keeping the funeral proceedings separate from the highly contested succession question.
The MOU reportedly provided for no succession rituals or installation of a new Omukama during the burial, limited access to certain areas and neutral security arrangements aimed at preventing further tensions between the different factions within the Tooro royal establishment.
It is alleged that the pre-burial standoff, including Queen Mother Best Kemigisa’s reported dissatisfaction, stemmed from what was described as a breach of the arrangements outlined in the MOU.
The agreement specifically barred any declaration, installation or claim to the Tooro throne during the funeral proceedings, with the succession question expected to be addressed separately.
The emergence of the MOU has also sparked criticism of individuals who publicly attacked the Queen Mother and President Yoweri Museveni over the delays and tensions witnessed ahead of King Oyo’s burial.
The document now adds another dimension to the ongoing Tooro succession dispute, with questions being raised over whether the agreed arrangements were fully respected during the funeral proceedings.